Fifteen
by evieeden
Summary: Imprinting doesn't care about age. Advent story written for 11th December.


**Happy 11****th**** December. Today's tale is a twist on imprinting so I hope you all like it.**

**Massive, huge thanks go to idealskeptic who was awesome and beta'd this at the last minute for me. She's a total star.**

**I know I say this a lot, but I don't own Twilight unfortunately.**

**Fifteen**

Jake led me down to the bonfire carefully, my hand in his. I stepped closer to him and he offered me a smile. The rest of the pack and their imprints were already gathered and I spotted the new faces immediately.

Quil was there now, along with an elderly man that Jake whispered to me was his grandfather. And the two Clearwaters were there as well – Leah and Seth – along with their mother. I didn't remember Jacob telling me that they had joined the pack, but from their enhanced appearances and the fact that both of them were wearing minimal clothing despite the usual freezing weather, it was fairly obvious. Sue was sat next to Billy Black and I could only assume that she had taken her husband's place on the council, something Jacob confirmed for me seconds later.

"Each of the leading families in the community has a council member, but only the Clearwaters, Blacks and Atearas have members who know about the wolves. Sue couldn't be kept in the dark, especially with two phasing wolves in her house."

I nodded in understanding and let him guide me towards a fallen tree trunk to sit on.

"Here, you stay here and I'll get you some food."

He was back a minute later, plates in his hands.

We ate in silence and I enjoyed the hum of noise around me as everyone talked around us, moments of quiet punctuated with the sound of enthusiastic chewing.

We had just started eating dessert when the youngest wolf, Seth, bounded up to Jake enthusiastically. From what I remembered from the last time I had met him, he seemed to have a case of hero worship when it came to my best friend, and from the looks of things, phasing into a wolf hadn't changed that.

"Hey, Jake. How're you doing, buddy?"

The way he moved reminded me of a gangly puppy who hadn't quite grown into his limbs yet and I stifled a laugh.

The two boys did some kind of weird guy handshake and shoulder clap thing, before Jake turned back to me and slung his arm over my shoulder, drawing me forward.

"Bells, you remember Seth Clearwater, right?"

"Sure." I smiled and held out my hand. "It's nice to meet you again, Seth."

"You too." He reached out and shook my hand. He grinned as he met my eyes and then his whole body froze.

The smile disappeared from his face and he gazed at me wondrously. His grip on my hand tightened when I tried to tug it away.

"Seth?" Jake was oblivious. "What are you doing, dude? Let her go."

The younger boy obeyed, but continued to stare at me. Discomforted by his attention, I stepped backwards and manoeuvred my body so that I was half-concealed behind Jacob's bulk.

My best friend's body tensed and he growled loudly, something I didn't even know he could do in his human form.

Silence fell over the bonfire and all of the pack turned as one towards our small group of three, concern on all their faces.

Sam stepped forward. "Jacob? Seth?"

Although I had no clue what was going on, I could feel Jake's body start to tremble and knew that he was fighting off the phase.

"Hey hey, Jake." I ran my hand up and down his back soothingly. "It's okay, whatever it is. You just need to calm down, okay?"

He stopped shaking under my touch, but remained tense. I peered around his body and found that Seth was still watching me with a startling focus.

"Bella."

I jumped as Sam appeared next to me. While I'd been preoccupied with calming Jake down, the Alpha had taken advantage to get even closer to us. He slipped carefully between the two wolves, putting a restraining hand on each.

"Why don't you go back inside the house with Emily? I think the bonfire is over for tonight."

Jake snarled again at his order, but then his growl was abruptly cut off. He spun around to face me.

"You need to go inside, Bells, okay? Please don't ask why, just do it. I'll explain everything later."

I considered arguing for about two seconds, but the serious look on his face made me pause with my mouth open.

"Okay," I finally agreed.

He offered me a pathetic attempt at a smile and then turned abruptly back to the other two wolves. I backed away uncertainly over the rough sand, hoping that I didn't lose my balance and topple over. Once I was a good ten metres away from the wolves, the frozen tableau which had surrounded us came to life. The other wolves, all apart from Leah, gathered around Jake, Seth and Sam, creating a circle that blocked off what was happening in the centre.

Emily dashed forward and took my elbow. "Come on, Bella. Let's get you back to our house."

I was utterly confused. "What just happened?"

She swallowed heavily and gave me a wan smile. "Let's just get inside and then I'll tell you everything."

Keeping her grip tight, Emily led me away from the beach and through the trail that led to the house she shared with Sam. It was strange, but the farther I got from the beach, the more my skin seemed to tingle, putting me on edge.

When we got to the house, I sat on the sofa and watched as Emily paced up and down in front of me. Every now and then she stopped and started, but she looked like she didn't really know what to say.

"Do you think Jake's okay?" I finally asked.

She shot me a sharp look. "I'm sure Jake's fine. It's not Jake I'm worried about."

I frowned at her harsh tone of voice. I didn't think that I'd done anything for her to react like that.

"Maybe I should go." I stood up.

"No!" She practically flew forward. "You can't go, you need to stay."

I shook my head. "Why do I need to stay? I don't even know what's going on. What was that back there?"

"That was imprinting." The low female voice came from Bella's right and she turned her head to see Leah and Sue come in through the back door. "My brother has imprinted on you." The other girl laughed bitterly. "For some reason, the wolf gods seem to think that you're his soul mate. Yet more proof that the whole thing is total bullshit."

"Leah!" Sue hushed her daughter with a single look.

"What?!" My eyes flew between Leah, Sue and Emily. Leah was the only one to meet my eyes.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. _Seth_, little Seth Clearwater, had imprinted on _me_. It was impossible. He couldn't have imprinted on me. I was with Edward. I wasn't available. I certainly wasn't his soulmate.

"Bella." Sue stepped forward and took control of the situation. "Can you please sit down so we can talk about this?"

I looked blankly towards her and then sank back down onto the couch. Sue sat next to me and Emily took the armchair opposite. Leah hovered in the corner of the room.

"He can't have imprinted on me." I was in total disbelief. "Is that why Jake was so angry?"

"Yes, honey." Sue reached out and took my hand. "Bella, I have to ask, I know that Jacob has explained a lot of our culture and legends to you, but has he ever mentioned imprinting?"

I glanced up at Sue and then returned my gaze to my knees. I furrowed my brow in thought.

"Ummm, he's mentioned it a couple of times. He said it was the wolf's way of choosing its ideal partner and that it was irreversible. We've only really talked about it when we were talking about S-"

I cut myself off as I realised that I was about to reveal that Jake and I had gossiped about the situation between Sam, Leah and Emily. From the looks on Leah and Emily's faces, I wasn't fooling either of them.

An awkward silence fell over us all.

Emily finally broke it.

"You're right to say that the imprint in the wolf's way of picking its ideal mate, but what you have to understand, Bella, is that the relationship between the two of you doesn't have to be romantic -"

"I should hope not," I interrupted her, horrified. "Seth's fifteen years old. Jesus! And I'm already in a relationship."

Emily cleared her throat and tried again. "What I'm trying to say is that the relationship between you two can be whatever you make it. Seth is bound irrevocably to you now and all he'll want is to be a part of your life, however you accept him. He'll be happy to be a brother, a friend, a confidant -"

This time it was Leah who interrupted Emily's explanation.

"So at which point, Em, did you decide that Sam needed to fuck you in my bathroom, since he was doing what you told him?"

Emily gasped and then burst into tears, running towards the bathroom. Leah watched her go with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Leah!" Sue rebuked.

Her daughter's eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me that she didn't deserve that."

Sue shook her head but didn't say anything further. It seemed that this was a common argument in the Clearwater house.

"Anyway, Bella." Sue caught my attention again. "No matter the decision that Emily may have made, what happens between you and Seth is up to the both of you to decide."

I really couldn't believe this. I couldn't believe Seth's mother was sitting here and telling me that I could do what I wanted to her baby boy.

"You are kidding me, right? Sue, he's fifteen. He's still just a kid. He doesn't want this. _I_ don't want this."

Sue grimaced and for a second her true feelings on the matter flashed across her face.

"It doesn't matter what I think, Bella," she said. "The gods have chosen you for Seth and now it's up to both of you to make of the situation what you will." She hesitated. "I agree," she reflected carefully, "that perhaps Seth is still far too young for an adult relationship, but in the meantime there's nothing to stop the two of you from being friends."

I jerked away from her, backing away from the couch.

"In the meantime?" I shrieked. "There is no in the meantime. I'm not having a relationship with Seth, Sue. Not now and not anytime in the future."

"Bella, please." She was near tears. "You have to understand. This is it for Seth. You're the only chance he has now for a happy loving relationship. I know he's young, you both are really, far too young to be talking about soulmates and forever and the like. But please," she entreated me, "don't turn your back on him. It will only hurt the both of you."

I couldn't think. It was all too much.

Just earlier today, I had been planning on spending the day with Jake, enjoying my best friend's company, before going home where Edward would be waiting for me. Now I was cornered in Emily's living room by a stranger's mother and sister who were telling me I was his only chance for happiness.

It was... It was...

"I have to go."

I spun on my heel and sped towards the door. Unfortunately for me, Leah was faster than I was and blocked off my exit.

"No!" she snarled at me. "You don't get to do this. You don't get to run away all the time like you do with Jake. This is my brother and you will sit down and make time for him."

Foolishly, I tried to push past her, only to be shoved backwards. I tripped over my feet as I stumbled and landed in a heap on the floor. Tears of frustration and confusion began to run down my face.

"I don't want him. I don't want this."

"And you think Seth does?" Leah screamed at me. "You think he couldn't do better than your scrawny pale-face ass? That he couldn't do so much better than a selfish little leech-lover like you? One thing's for sure, you're not carrying out your sick little plan to become a vampire anymore. I won't have you kill my brother like that."

Sue gasped loudly at the mention of me becoming a vampire. "Oh, Bella, honey."

I looked up at Leah. She loomed above me, hands on her hips.

"What do you mean that it would kill him?"

She scoffed at me. "Imprinting's for life, you stupid bitch. That means if you die, Seth dies. If you become a walking corpse like I've seen you want to, then my brother's heart stops beating the second yours does. So not only will you be a fucking bloodsucker, you'll also be a murderer, without even having fed for the first time."

My eyes were wide.

Seth would die if I became a vampire?

That sweet, little boy I remembered from Billy's kitchen would die, just because I wanted to be with Edward?

Bile welled in my throat and I fought off the urge to throw up.

I knew the consequences of my decision to be with Edward, to become a vampire, but this was something I had never considered. There wasn't even a choice anymore. I couldn't let Seth die, no matter who he was or how little I knew him. I had never wanted to be a killer.

Never.

In the back of my mind, I knew my decision had already been made. Even I sat in a heap on the floor, I could feel the consequences of that decision rippling through me. Everything I had wanted - had made steps toward - for my future was now slowly disappearing into thin air.

I stared into space, my mind racing about what this all meant now. For me and Edward. For me and... Seth. I struggled to even think about our names in relation to each other.

Above my head, Sue and Leah held a hushed conversation.

I ignored the sound of their voices.

What would I say to Edward? What would I say to _Charlie_? Or Jacob?

This was just... an impossible situation.

I didn't want to be Seth's reason for living. I didn't want to be his _anything_, except maybe his friend.

I certainly didn't want to be his mate, or whatever screwed up fate the imprinting gods had for us. His face flashed in front of my eyes and he groaned. He was too damn young for this. Hell, even I was too damn young for this.

I scrambled to my feet, my head spinning.

"I need to go."

Leah and Sue stopped talking and both looked at me as I walked blindly past them. Jake and I had left my truck parked outside here so at least I didn't have far to go.

"Bella!"

Sue caught up with me just as I opened the door to my truck.

"Bella." She grabbed my hand. "I'm sorry that Leah shouted at you. She's just worried about her little brother. We all are. We just don't want to see him hurt."

My voice shook. "You don't have to worry; he's not going to die because of me if I can help it. I'm not a murderer."

She flinched minutely, but then gathered herself. "I know you are, sweetheart. You forget, I've known you since you were born. You're not the kind of person to make others suffer."

"But isn't that what this imprint is doing?" I questioned, wiping angrily at my wet cheeks. "It's hurting me, Seth, Edward, you, Leah. Hell, I bet it's even hurting Jacob right now judging by his reaction earlier."

Tears slid down Sue's face.

"It might not work out for the best. I can't say it will. I've seen what imprinting has done to my daughter, Bella. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but please don't make my son suffer. Please!" she begged me, both hands gripping my shoulders tightly.

I was shaking now, the stress of the evening finally taking its toll on my body.

"I can't..." I blurted out. "I can't make any promises."

Sue shook me again. "I don't want rash promises that will be broken in the future. What I want is some reassurance from you that my baby won't be left alone and shattered."

Taking her wrists, I tugged her hands away from my arms and she took a step back, her arms coming up to wrap around her body. For a split second she reminded me of how I had looked during the time when Edward was gone. My heart broke for her.

"I'll do my best to make the right decision for all of us."

It was the only vow I could make her and she seemed to understand that. She stepped back and allowed me to climb into the cab of my truck and start the engine. As I reversed onto the main road out of La Push, I glanced back towards the house.

Leah had joined her mother now and had her arms wrapped around Sue. The older woman was clearly sobbing into her daughter's shoulder.

I looked away, unable to stand the sight of her pain.

I had to make some tough decisions, and I had to make them before the adrenaline that had got me through the evening vanished leaving me completely drained.

One decision I had to make was plain though.

I couldn't let Seth suffer just to get what I wanted. It would be the most selfish thing I did if I let that happen.

Which meant I would have to do the toughest thing in my life. I would have to let Edward go.

Just the thought of it made me tremble, but it wasn't just about me anymore. I thought of Sue and her tearstained face, of Leah and her impotent rage, of Jake and his desire to keep my heart beating and of Seth and the carefree smile that had crossed Seth's face seconds before he had imprinted on me.

I had to look beyond myself and make a choice that all of us could live with.

As I pulled up to the house, I could see the figure on the porch already waiting for me. Edward stood up and I parked the truck on the drive and I stared at him through the windshield.

I slowly exited the cab, taking my time. I didn't want this confrontation to happen, but I knew it needed to.

In the end, I didn't need to say anything.

Edward took one look into my eyes and then nodded resignedly. "Alice saw."

Stepping forward, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"I love you."

"I love you too," I replied.

With one last kiss and a longing look, he was gone.

I let myself into the empty house and managed to drag myself upstairs to my room. Once there, I collapsed on the bed.

And I cried and cried, until finally, blissfully I fell asleep. I could only pray that things would be better when morning came.

They had to be.

They just had to.


End file.
